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This ad from the 1974 Southern Bell Yellow Pages is similar to other ads for the Flaming Pit that I have seen in that it never gives a real street address for the place. That, and a complete lapse of mind that let me confuse I-20 with I-26 led me to originally post some pictures of what was certainly the wrong building for the place!

We never went to the Flaming Pit, though I seem to remember radio commercials that made it sound like a very exotic place. (I didn't do "exotic"..). I'm not exactly sure what "Open Hearth Charcoal Cookery" is, but combing that with the name of the place, I envision a large central grill in the middle of the dining area (hopefully very well ventilated with charcoal involved..) where your orders were cooked as you watched.

I'm a little surprised that the bar was The Wells Fargo Lounge given that Wells Fargo is, in addition to its evocative history, still around and presumably trademarked..

UPDATE 15 June 2010: Removed incorrect pictures, and corrected the text in which I was completely wrong about the location!

The restaurant in the basement of the Main St. Belk's was called The Plantation Room. Always busy and good, but it never achieved Tapp's basement restaurant's fame. Does anyone know what the one at Tapp's was actually named? or, while we're at it, does anyone remember the little restaurant in the basement of Davidson's?

The FP was a bit before my rambling days. I'm sure it's been thru various incarnations since but I best remember it from about 10 yrs ago. Maybe it was 'Plantation Room' coincidentally? It had the best buffet lunch/dinner featuring things one usually doesn't see like, leeks, rutabaga, fresh turnip greens with real chunks! Not the dice-cubes out of a can. Oh, and some of the best lamb I've ever had. Anyway, they were doing great business circa the late 90s early 2000s. Then he expanded to take over the old steak restaurant in Lex. near Hess at 378 & Hwy. 6 junction. I guess he got over-extended & couldn't pay his vendors. Whatever the reason, he folded. Now the only thing comparable is Hudson's.

Before the Harvest Moon, the Flaming Pit was the place to be. In fact a waiter there was hired by Donny A to open the Moon. One of his jobs was to buy all of the utensils needed as the Harpo boys had no experience operating a restaurant.